Lanark Grammar pupils make it four straight cup wins

A football team of Lanark Grammar School youngsters aged from S1 to S6 won all six round robin matches to clinch a national title for the fourth successive year.
The victorious Lanark Grammar squad are pictured with team manager Johnny Gardiner (Submitted pic)The victorious Lanark Grammar squad are pictured with team manager Johnny Gardiner (Submitted pic)
The victorious Lanark Grammar squad are pictured with team manager Johnny Gardiner (Submitted pic)

Lanark scored a total of 32 goals and conceded only one to triumph in the recent Learning Disabilities Scottish Cup at Glasgow Green.“This is a brilliant achievement for the boys, absolutely superb,” Lanark Grammar PE teacher and team manager Johnny Gardiner (52) told the Carluke and Lanark Gazette.“It was a mixture of new boys and boys who’d played in the tournament win last year.“Again they showed good teamwork and got on well with each other.“There aren’t any prima donnas in the team, the older guys help the younger ones.“I’m extremely proud of them.”Johnny has run the Grammar team – including boys with additional support needs including dyslexia, literary disability, autism, Asperger syndrome and ADHD – since its formation in 2012.The Lanark squad were crowned Lanarkshire School champions in 2016, 2017 and 2018 and five of the squad have been capped by the Scotland under-19 learning disabilities team.“It has been very worthwhile for the Grammar to have this team,” Johnny added.“And it is great recognition for the school.”The Scottish Cup winning Grammar team included Aiden Kerr (tournament top scorer), Robbie Slater, Cody McCann, Chad Shand, Callum McCallum, Adam Cummings, Liam Grant, Sam Davidson, Derek Lithgow, Leon Kelly and Cameron Thompson.The latter two players were making their final appearance in the competition.Special thanks go to Trish Miller and Janice Gillan for all their help over the past seven years.In recognition for the Scottish win, the Grammar squad won School of the Year and Johnny landed a Merit award at the South Lanarkshire Disability Sport Awards in Hamilton Town Hall.

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